The Angels of flame
by Brother Capitan Raevan
Summary: A imperial guard sergeant inadvertently starts in motion events that will lead to a battle of unexpected proportions fought with old allies and new.


As the Valcarie thundered towards the planet's surface, breaking through the dense clouds of sulphur and brimstone, the music of the Ecclesiarchy playing loudly in the ears of guardsmen and Astartes alike, the thunder of heavy guns unleashing fire and hell upon the Emperors enemies, whether they had been allies before or not...

The Valcarie shuddered as the pilot flared, bringing the craft to a shuddering stop, deftly landing with a loud thump. The previously red illumination flickered then turned green, the ramp dropping and Guardsmen rushing out and taking positions around the pad.

Striding out onto the pad, I catch my first sight of our welcoming party, three Adepta Sororitas of the order of the sacred rose, their white armour and black vestments a stark contrast with the green of mine, Cadian shock troopers, proud veterans of many wars, yet the men I commanded this day were little more than raw recruits, well trained to be sure but none had ever seen battle.

"Sergeant! We require your presence." The leader of the three sisters spoke in a loud, commanding tone. "sisters, escort these men to their posts, I will brief their commander." My men looked to me, unable to comprehend the fact they were already being separated from their commander, looking to them, I simply nod my confirmation. As the sister led the way back into segmentum command, I saw my men rise from their knees and follow the two helmeted sisters out to the lines of Chimera transports awaiting them.

"Sergeant Raeven Is it? Is it not true you were on kauruva?" she spoke with genuine interest; it was unheard of for a Sister to show such interest in the affairs of men. "Indeed ma'am, I was on that warp tainted world" As I spoke I felt a twinge of pride rising in my heart. "Then you fought my fellow sisters..." as she said those words I felt the world collapse around me, she would surely kill me for this transgression against her order. Rounding on me, blocking the corridor, we locked eyes, her eyes drilling into me like las-fire. "Tell me, Guardsman, Did my sisters die well?" trying to avoid fighting this sister, I spoke carefully. "They died with the honour and courage that befits the Sororitas" as I said this I reached for my sword, gripping its grip tightly, preparing to defend myself. The sister fell to her knees making the sign of the Aquilla on herself, murmuring a litany of faith. "God Emperor protect, May I die upon the battlefield, facing a foe worthy of my death."

Loosening the grip on my sword, I extend a hand to the kneeling sister; she takes it and pulls herself to her feet an expression of both fear and thanks on her face, to think a sister of battle, afraid, ha! More to the point afraid of_ me. _"Then it is as I thought, you are _The_ Sergeant Raeven, the man who faced down an entire squad of celestians, with naught but a lasgun and a knife, and defeated them all." She trembled as she spoke, still grasping my wrist. "Well, my exploits were exaggerated, quite obviously, it was not nine celestians, just three, and I did use a grenade. Now, were we not going to some kind of briefing?" looking at the sister before me with a raised eyebrow.

The Cannoness here on Istan IV was a terrifying sight, the brassier of eternal flame burning upon her backpack, she looked at me in horror as I entered the room, turning to the planetary governor. "THIS HERETIC KILLED MY SISTERS ON KAURUVA! "She rounded on me, drawing her chainsword, she charged me, screaming glory to the emperor and her fallen sisters. Rolling to my left, drawing my sword and bolt pistol as I did so, I turned to face her. Her eyes spoke of great pain and hatred, charging once more chainsword revving as it arced towards me, thumbing the switch on my sword, it bust to life with blue lightning, the power field around my weapon humming as I brought it up to stop the sisters blow, she did not notice the true nature of my blade quickly enough, attempting to slow her swing... but too late, as the roaring teeth of her chainsword bore down on my blade, such was the force of her blow, and the pent up aggression of the machine spirit of my blade from months of inactivity onboard the transport, her chainsword was sheared in half by my power weapon .

Her jaw hung slack at the sight of her treasured weapon lying in smouldering pieces. She then spoke, softly "Governor, my sisters and I will be leaving; I refuse to fight alongside heretics." The sister who had greeted me shouted her voice echoing through the concrete corridors. "But Cannoness... the men of the guard will not be able to hold the line alone! The planet will fall!"

"Then some other will help them! We will not stand beside heretics!" the canoness's fervour almost matching that of her subordinate. "If you will not... I will stand beside the guard! Who among you will stand with me?!" the sisters around the room, unnoticed and silent up until this point, stepped forth and proclaimed "We will stand shoulder to shoulder with you, guardsman." The sister superior rested a hand on the sisters shoulder. "We have enough support to muster a single commandery... Sister Riccardi?" The sister I now knew as sister Riccardi turned to the sister superior, removing her helm, her white hair swinging as she did so, in short she was beautiful, the fleur de leis on her cheek, a thin scar marring her otherwise perfect face. (I know that's clichéd and it sucked, deal with it)

"SISTERS YOU ARE OF THE ORDER OF THE SACRED ROSE! YOU WILL OBEY COMMANDS!" the Cannoness was screaming.

Sister Riccardi reached for her shoulder and tore the badge of the order of the sacred rose from her armour and threw it to the ground "now I am not of the order, I DECLARE THE FOUNDING OF A NEW ORDER! We will not serve the Ecclesiarchy, but the emperor directly, we shall operate as a space marine chapter does, and our purpose will be to fight with guardsmen who have been forsaken... turn death and defeat to victory. THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL STAND BY ME IN THE CREATION OF THIS NEW ORDER... NO, THIS NEW CHAPTER! TEAR THE BADGE FROM YOUR ARMOUR!" as Riccardi finished her speech, panting from the shouting, the sound of metal on concrete rang out true as hundreds of sisters threw down their badges. The sister superior stood shocked "Sister Riccardi... we have the support of at least one thousand sisters. We will need a leader... I... I hereby Declare Sister Riccardi Chapter master of the... the. We require a name to found a chapter, Sister Riccardi."

"we shall be known as the Angels of Flame, let this name strike fear into the hearts of the emperor's foes!"


End file.
